Dear alumni, friends, and colleagues,

After much thought and consideration, I have decided to retire from my position as president of Lasell University and chief executive officer of Lasell Village.

When I stepped onto campus that first day as Lasell’s leader, in the summer of 2007, I stopped to fill my gas tank on the way to work. As I pulled into the Winslow parking lot, I realized that in my excitement to begin I had left the gas station without paying. I quickly retreated to the station, starting my day with an embarrassed apology. It was an appropriate lesson in humility for an ambitious new college president. On that day, I would never have guessed that my tenure would last for 16 years.

After so many years with you and so many adventures together, it is hard to know when is the right time to step down. Over the last several months, it has become clear to me that the time has come for a new voice and a new perspective at the helm.

Our years together have resulted in great memories and wonderful relationships. I still treasure greeting each new class of students as they arrive in the fall, sharing their excitement and empathizing with their anxieties. I love meeting with alumni all over the world, and I take special pleasure when I run into one of the approximately 8,000 to whom I have had the honor of handing diplomas. I have grown personally and professionally from the intellectual stimulation of daily interactions with faculty, staff, and Lasell Village residents. I am most proud of the way we pulled together to weather the storm of the pandemic and maintained our focus on teaching and learning — always keeping the interests of our students foremost in our minds and actions.

One of the keys to overcoming the challenges we have faced and those that will confront Lasell in the future is our adherence to a set of shared values in decision-making — integrity, equity, kindness, open and respectful discourse, and learning from those who are different from ourselves.

There is no shortage of problems in our society, in higher education, and even at Lasell; they require application of the skills, knowledge, and character that Lasell imparts on all members of our community. Lasell has been producing engaged, educated citizens of the world for 171 years. With continued solidarity and enlightened leadership, it will continue to do so for centuries to come.

My wife, Mary Barbara, and I want you to know how appreciative we are for all that each of you has done and continue to do for Lasell and its students, and how grateful we are to have experienced these many years within your warm embrace.

With love and affection,
Michael B. Alexander
President, Lasell University